Career
He has performed through Europe and the United States since 1998. Šimkus started to play piano in age of 5. He studied in Emīls Dārziņš Music School in Riga.
Later he studied in University of Southern California under Daniel Pollack.
He also has studied under Lazar Berman and Igor Zhukov. In 2002-2006 he studied in Queen Sophia music academy in Madrid under professor Dmitri Bashkirov.
After Bashkirov"s invitation in 2003 he also participated in his master class in Savonlinna, Finland. Šimkus also has studied composition for five years under Pēteris Vasks.
Today he continues his studies in R. Strauss conservatory in Munich under Vadim Suhanov.
In 2012 Šimkus married the opera singer Elīna Volkmane.